The numbers
Enclosure
20 × 20 cm
Diet
Adults: beetle jelly, banana; larvae eat flake soil/leaf-mould · Adults: jelly every 1-2 days; larvae: refresh substrate every 1-2 mo
Temperature
18-26C (room temp)
Humidity
60-75%
Identity
Order / Family
Coleoptera
IUCN / CITES
Not evaluated; not CITES
Difficulty
Beginner
Commonality
Iconic hobby beetle; captive-bred widely
Adult size
Body 40-85mm; male with tall forked head horn
Lifespan
Larva ~8-12 mo (L1-L3); adult ~2-4 mo
Growth rate
Moderate; pupates upward (needs depth)
Activity & niche
Nocturnal; adults on sap; larvae in leaf-mould/rotten wood
Temperament
Males joust with horns; harmless to people
Venom / defense
Harmless - no venom/sting; squeaks by rubbing abdomen
Price (THB)
indicative ~200-800 (imported/captive-bred)
Enclosure and conditions
Temperature
18-26C (room temp)
Humidity
60-75%
Min. enclosure
Larvae: 0.2-1L for L1-L2, ~1L jar for L3; substrate >=10cm deep (pupates upward); adults 20x20cm+
Substrate
Larvae: fermented flake soil / leaf-mould; adults: coco/soil + bark
Hides / decor / water
Bark, branches, leaf litter; light misting
Diet
Staple food
Adults: beetle jelly, banana; larvae eat flake soil/leaf-mould
Feeding frequency
Adults: jelly every 1-2 days; larvae: refresh substrate every 1-2 mo
Supplements
Protein flake soil for horn/size
Behaviour and handling
Handling
Disturb larvae as little as possible; adults handleable gently
Communal
Separate rival males; larvae can share large bins with space
Defense / stress signs
Squeaking, horn-pushing, leg-kicking
Reproduction
Reproduction
Eggs -> L1-L3 -> pupal cell built upward -> adult (pupa->adult can be ~1 mo)
Common health problems
Common health issues
SignsShallow substrate = deformed pupation; dehydration; mites
Red flags / quarantine
SignsNon-native to TH - never release; mites; use flake soil for big adults
Good to know
- A cultural icon in Japan sold in vending machines; unusually it builds its pupal chamber pointing up
Others in this group
Atlas beetleChalcosoma atlasSiamese rhinoceros / fighting beetleXylotrupes gideon (TH pops. often X. socrates)Giant stag beetleDorcus titanus (syn. Serrognathus titanus)Sun beetle (fruit beetle)Pachnoda marginata (peregrina)Hercules beetleDynastes herculesGiant flower beetleMecynorhina torquataGiraffe stag beetleProsopocoilus giraffaCaucasus beetleChalcosoma chiron (formerly C. caucasus)